Borne of Fear
by XxBloodsbanexX
Summary: Kuki's having bad nightmares and goes to Wally for comfort. Starts a little dark, but becomes Fluff.


**This is my first ****KND**** a****nd ****Kuki****/Wally ****fanfic****, I hope it goes well. I'd like to dedicate this sto****ry**** to ****x-streakz-X-the-X-werecat-x****, who writes some of my favorite ****KND ****fanfics****. Please enjoy! A****nd****, also, the beginning starts out ****kind of****... darkish... but the ending ****gets**** fluffier. So just... keep... going... Also, my thing is being glitchy, so watch out for mistakes...**

* * *

She remembered when she was little, back in the KND, such a long time ago. She was lying on her bed, back in her 12-year-old body. She was wearing those old black tights, too small for her now, and that old green shirt she had long since even to her baby sister, Doki. She had forgotten how unbelievably plush her bed was, how many of those Rainbow Monkeys she had piled up in the corners. The girl had spent more time her than in her own home. The bright pinks, the blinding yellows, the luminescent oranges of the sheets and stuffed animals gave her such a wave of nostalgia that the girl didn't notice for a while that it was quiet. She turned to look out the window, but she only saw churning darkness. A dark feeling, as if Father was gripping her heart, filled her. Why was it so dark? Where was everyone else? Normally the others would be throughout the treehouse, always in a different place, but she would be able to hear them; Numbah 1 typing on the computer or communicating with Moonbase; Numbah 2's far off shouts of frustration from dropping some kind of special equipment for his planes; Numbah 5, down below feeding the hamsters. Numbah 4 was... was...

Kuki couldn't hear Numbah 4. Usually he would hear his fists training on a punching bag, or he would be playing video games or sometimes he'd even be hanging out with Numbah 2. But there was nothing. No angry punching, no button mashing, just... nothing.

The creak of an opening door, and with it an incredibly cold draft. Despite her over-sized sleeves, Kuki shivered. The air was hollow, like the wind from a wide plain going forever until it lost it's luster. Kuki didn't remember the door being open when she first arrived. And for the first time Kuki really looked at the mountain range of Rainbow Monkeys. Their disorienting colors, their ominously smiling faces, and those emotionless glass eyes, always staring, always watching. Kuki felt she understood why Numbah 4 hated them so much. They were beginning to creep her out, too.

Kuki was having an internal debate on whether or not to venture from the bed. She wanted to find Numbah 4. The silence worried her. He couldn't be on a solo mission; everyone else was in the treehouse, so the Australian couldn't be at his own home. But their was the childish fear of something waiting for her to leave the bed, just below and ready for her bare ankles to fall exposed, ready to drag her away. Kuki whimpered. As imagination grew darker, terrifying images of claws and teeth seemed to form from the shadows. All the girl had to do was imagine and it would be there. She could almost feel the darkness of her mind escaping.

But eventually worry overcame fear. Quietly she slid off of her bed, trying to fortify her heart. The floor was cold. The room seemed to become darker. Kuki let out another whimper, and as she did, her window began to shudder. Kuki gasped. The noise sounded to her like the wildest tornado. And it seemed to be the trigger for her nightmare to begin.

"Rain-bow Monk-keys, Rain-bow Mon-keys. Oh-so ve-ry_ rooooound..."_

The theme played in the background, coming from all around. The tone was deep, the words playing in a slow, mocking drawl. Kuki shuttered and began walking towards her door, but she was stopped. The tails of the Rainbow Monkey dolls were growing, coiling around things like snakes. The music continued as the tails began to slowly slither over to Kuki's feet. The monkey heads turned at once, all staring at the girl with frozen glass eyes.

"Numbah 3. Come play with us."

With a scream, Kuki tried to run, but the tails - or tentacles - or tailticals, snapped like whips. They flew at Kuki with blinding speed, twisting around her ankles and wrists until she could no longer move. Her panic was quickly growing, but she continued to force herself to be calm. Panicking would only get her into deeper trouble. So Kuki gently struggled, finding that the tails would tighten and relax with her movements. She noticed above her bed was a ceiling fan. In quick movements, Kuki forcefully slammed the tail holding her left leg against the bedpost. The tails owner wailed, falling from the pile. Kuki's vision blurred but she jumped onto the bed, propelling herself upward. She moved her arm close to the fan. The wings sliced through the thin material and stuffing. The monkey screamed, then tumbled from its spot. Kuki gracefully dodged the wave of tails, running toward the half open door. Biting one off of her wrist, she made sure to kick the door closed with her foot on he way out.

The hallway was pitch black; Kuki used her hands to guide her away. She could hear the Rainbow Monkey's bounding against her door, screeching now. She didn't look back and walked toward Numbah 4's room.

Her footsteps echoed against the floor, as if there was nothing beneath the wooden boards. The mental image made Kuki walk a little faster. She sighed in frustration. She was no longer used to her old little girl legs. Kuki had grown considerably after the KND; everyone had. Numbah 2 lost most of that clingy baby fat and now stood as tall as Numbah 1. Both Numbah 5 and Numbah 3 had grown as well, not just in height, though Numbah 5's were less noticeable. Numbah 4, who had been the shortest of them all, currently stood at an even six feet. It was amazing what puberty did to you.

Eventually Kuki arrived at the wooden door that gave way to Numbah 4's bedroom. The girl had only been in there once, and she couldn't remember much about it - actually, it was against the rules. Kuki put her ear against the door. Faintly, she could hear is breathing, but just barely because it was muffled by something. The door was shaking slightly. Kuki felt cold air coming from beneath the door. A sound from behind made the girl turn.

The Rainbow Monkeys had broken down he door and were using their tails to crawl closer to Numbah 3. Their fur had dulled and become patched and ripped, their smiles gone, mouths' bared in angry snarls, showing gleaming white teeth that seemed too real for stuffed animals.

"Don't go in there, Numbah 3," they chorused. "Come and play with us. No one wants you in there; no one needs you in there."

Kuki tried the doorknob. It was locked.

"Don't leave us, Kuki. Don't leave us like you did before."

Her fear was growing. Kuki pounded on the door. "Numbah 4! Help! Numbah 4, open the door please!" Tears ran down her cheeks as one of the tails touched her let. The touch felt icky. Goosebumps ran across her body, and she kicked the dolls off, still trying to open he door. Open, open, please.

Something beyond the door howled loudly. It shuttered, and was ripped away by a gust of wind. Everything beyond was gone. Only branches from the tree remained. Everything was charred black. Kuki barely registered the cold sheets of rain that slapped her front.

"Wally!" Kuki cried desperately. Shades of grey and blue were everywhere, but there was no yellow, orange or green.

The Rainbow Monkeys had reached her. Kuki jumped in shock, falling out of the doorway and at that moment a guest of wind came, so strong it swept Kuki off her feet. The girl flew through the air. The current shifted, and Kuki was blown upwards. She slammed against the base of a tree branch, which had been snapped in half and was burnt coal black. The smoky smell was strong and made Kuki sneeze. The rain was freezing and quickly soaked through Kuki's clothes.

Above her was a wooden platform, part of what used to be the boxing ring in Wally's room. It was stuck between two branches, just above Kuki's head. A bit of orange caught the girl's attention through the swirling rain.

"Wally! Wally, is that you?"

There was no answer. Kuki was crying heavily now and tried to pull herself up. The branch was thick; she couldn't wrap her arms around the tree limb. The wind kept blowing rain and debris in her eyes, so Kuki couldn't keep sight on Wally very much. But suddenly he moaned. His arm moved, draping over the edge of the wooden plank. It looked like he was trying to pull the rest of himself over the edge.

But Kuki saw with cold terror that something red was running down his wrist from beneath his jacket, trickling down his fingers. The wind was still strong, but a drop of it fell onto Kuki's face.

Kuki screamed, letting go of the tree branch and flying high into the air, loosing sight of Wally's body. The sky was dark. It felt as if she was going towards the clouds when suddenly, despite the wind, Kuki began falling.

There was a flash of blinding white thunder, so loud that all sights and sounds were lost.

Kuki Sanban awoke from her nightmare. She shot upwards, let out a short scream, and then she was silent. Everything looked terribly scary, though she was in her own room back at their TND base. Kuki quietly let the tears run free as she curled into a fetal position.

She had been having the same dream for a week and a half, ever since the team's mission. The five of them had been assigned a mission to find the location of an underground meeting place; an area enemy teenagers used to make plans that would endanger the KND's operations. Sector Z - the name of Kuki's new team - had followed a group of teenagers underground and found the hall, but were recognized by a traitor and quickly chased out of the base. Luckily for them, Numbah 1 had been prepared and they were able to destroy the route that led to it while escaping.

When the five of them made it out from underground, they found that it was raining. They were walking home when the storm hit. Kuki remembered how strong the winds were, how hard the rain fell. It was like walking through a storm of falling pebbles.

They needed to find shelter, but they had so much gear that they weren't able to simply hide out in one of their own houses. The closest thing they were able to use as shelter was their old base.

By then the base was occupied with the new Sector V recruits. They didn't know their names, but Numbah 1 couldn't take chances. The team would never have been able to get home or to their base in weather like that.

So the five of them quickly made their way over to their old base. It was strange being there again; you weren't allowed to have much contact with KND anything at risk of having the TND known. The treehouse was about the same as it had been.

Though Numbah 1 had been forced to tell the new Sector V of their identity and relations to the KND, everything went smoothly. Numbah 1 and the new Sector V leader went off to contact Moonbase of the situation. The rest of the team went with the kids to visit their old rooms.

Though Kuki's room had been redecorated - new furniture, less toys, different wallpaper - just seeing the scope of her room brought back old memories. Times had been a lot... lighter when she was in the KND. Most of the TND missions involved recon, escorts and stake outs. Though KND life was a lot less subtle, it molded her. Those were her childhood days, her childhood memories and she would never forget them. It was this thought, her thankfulness of memory, that she frowned in sorrow over all of those operatives that hadn't been given the chance to remember.

The storm was raging outside, very loudly, and huge waves of thunder boomed throughout the treehouse. The power flickered off and on from time to time, but no one was worried because of the emergency power supply. If not the new Sector V, Numbah 2 would be able to fix the power.

Suddenly everything shook. The air crackled, and a flash of light momentarily lit everything Kuki could see. And then the explosion of thunder knocked her and the girl off of their feet. The sound of cracking and the smell of smoke and fire quickly filled the air. Kuki helped the girl up - Numbah 81 - and the both of them went back into the hallway.

Everyone else was there too, looking down the hallway in the direction of Wally's old room.

There wasn't a door there. An opening showed the dark blue of outside light. The little boy, Numbah 83, was lying near the edge of the doorway. He was trying to lift himself up, but his leg was badly burned and bleeding. He struggled to get up as his team helped him. Then he pointed out the doorway and said in a shaky voice, "That guy saved me, but he didn't get out."

Kuki didn't remember much after that. It all happened so fast, as tragedies do. They spent the next hour looking for Numbah 4 in the wind and rain. Parts of the tree had been set aflame, so while Kuki, Nigel, Abby and Hoagie searched through the broken tree parts and dirt, Sector V worked on ridding the fires.

Kuki found him. He was lodged between the base of the tree and a part of the branch. Everything was charred black. A small flame was growing three feet away on a chunk of wood. Kuki carefully lifted it up so that she could see him better.

He was unconscious, that was for sure. Though his breathing seemed regular, Kuki had been able to tell something was wrong. He was too pale. Kuki set the torch down on the grass and touched his face. It was cold, not surprising, but it was a cold that didn't come from the air or from the rain.

"Numbah 4? Numbah 4, wake up." Kuki moved the Australian boy's head side to side, trying to rouse him. He let out a moan, but nothing more.

"Numbah 1! Numbah 2, Numbah 5, I found him!"

Kuki set down the stick, took the tree branch in her arms and pulled. It was too heavy for her to move by herself. She used her feet and set them against the tree, trying to push herself away, with the branch. It moved a few inches, but it still covered Numbah 4's legs.

Numbah 5 got to them first. She helped Kuki, but they only moved it another inch before Kuki stopped. "What's wrong with you, girl? Help Numbah 5 get this stupid branch off 'em!"

Numbah 3 was frozen. Her eyes were locked on Numbah 4's chest and stomach. Numbah 5 looked over the branch to see what fazed her friend so, and she herself gasped.

There was an enormous gash, more than two feet long and half an inch wide, leading from his left shoulder and running down his chest and stomach to stop at his waist though his jacket. The wound was jagged, made from what Numbah 5 guessed must have been a flying chunk of wood or maybe even metal. It was pouring blood, blanketing Numbah 4's entire lower half, with fibers from the cloth sticking to it. The girl turned to look at her Japanese friend. Kuki was staring at the wound, and Abby could see the fear forming in her eyes; Kuki's breath was shaky and as the boy's came up from behind them, she reached over and gently touched Wally's wound. The blood crawled onto her long fingers and fell to the already soaked ground.

The memory made Kuki let out a small sob. She had been so afraid and had felt so helpless for her friend. And she could barely imagine what it must have looked like for those KND operatives. Kuki herself couldn't remember in all her time as a KND operative experiencing something like a teammate in critical condition. Nothing like such a bloody wound.

The flash of a lightning bolt made Kuki squeak and close her eyes. The thunder soon followed, shaking Kuki's room. The girl let out a cry, quietly, as to not wake anyone up. She couldn't take it. Not after her dream, not after the thunder and lighting.

Rain pounded against Kuki's window. Usually the sound was comforting to the Japanese girl. Kuki liked the rain. It always calmed her and made everything seem fresher. But now it just reminded her that Numbah 4 could easily have died.

Kuki couldn't take it. It was the urge of having to, of needing to; she slowly slipped from her round purple bed and shuffled out of her door and down the hallway. It was all so much like her dream. The thought made Kuki quicken her steps.

When she arrived, she took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.

Numbah 4's room was very different from what it used to be. Instead of a wrestling ring, his room was covered with bean bags and lava lamps. A TV sat in one corner, covered with game stations and cups and plates. Wallabee himself was lying asleep in his blue sheeted bed. Kuki could see his form rising and falling with each breath.

Numbah 3 stood at the doorway for about five minutes, just looking at Numbah 4's room and fighting the battle in her mind. Though Kuki had undeniably matured more than all of the others in her team, she still retained her quirky nature, and with it her childish feelings and thoughts. _He'll be upset if I go in_, Kuki said to herself. _I should just go back to my own bed._

But Kuki could not. The fear had grown too large inside of her. She remembered all too well her vivid dream, and the dangers seemed to follow her in the darkness. Numbah 3 could not stand to be alone right now.

She tip-toed across the room and stood at Wally's bed, staring at him, afraid to wake him but wanting desperately to do so. His face was so peaceful when he was asleep. Wally's blond hair still covered his head, but it had become shaggier; it wasn't as precisely cut as it used to be when they were kids. Personally, Kuki liked it. She looked down he sheets. Wally was really tall looking, even when he was lying down. Kuki was only two or three inches shorter than him, but it had become a habit of looking slightly upwards to talk to him.

Kuki took a deep breath and gently touched Numbah 4's shoulder. "Numbah 4?" Her voice was a soft whisper that even she had trouble hearing. She poked the boy in the nose. "Numbah 4, wake up... Wally?"

The teenage boy grunted and turned around, his back facing the Japanese girl. Kuki tried to crush the feeling of irrational hurt. She shook him again, a bit more roughly this time. "Wally, it's me, Kuki."

"Ah... mmmm... Huh?" Wally turned and lifted a hand to his forehead, rubbing his eyes. Kuki could see their green light in the darkness. "That you, Kooks?" Kuki smiled at the nickname and said, "Uh huh. Sorry I woke you up."

Wally sat up and the covers fell off of him. Kuki inhaled sharply. The gash that had been was now a large, half healed; it's surface was a faded purple color, and you could tell there had been stitches. The usual wave of guilt washed over Numbah 3, though she knew that none of it was her fault at all. Wally had saved a small kid, and it wasn't something to feel sad about. And he was still alive, wasn't he? So why did Kuki feel so... so...

"Kooks, wot's wrong?"

Kuki's lip was trembling again. She couldn't speak because the lump in her throat, and she really didn't want it to escape. She couldn't stand crying in front of Wally with no real reason.

"Kooks? Kuki, c'mon, tell me wot's up. Why're ya cryin'?" His voice wasn't irritated as Kuki thought it would be. It was gentle and a little concerned. The girl opened her eyes to see Wally watching her in interest. She whipped the tears away and managed to say, "I... I had a b-bad d... nightmare. I don't want to b-be alone..." A sob shoved past her lips, and she couldn't help herself. Kuki crawled onto the side of the bed and throw her arms around Wally's neck like she used to, sobbing on his shoulder. The boy patted her back in a gesture that was no longer awkward, but somewhat natural for the both of them. Kuki went to Abby with her girl problems - she went to Wallabee with everything else. "S'okay, Kooks. S'alright; it wos just a noightmare."

Kuki sniffled and rubbed her face clean with her long sleeved pajamas. Then, swallowing, she asked, "Can I... Can I say in here with you?" Her voice broke from crying and she covered her face with her arms, embarrassed even though Wally couldn't see her blush.

Wally's own face turned red. The consequences were obvious, and he didn't know if he was comfortable with sharing his bed with Kuki. But it would be cruel, even for him, to send her back to her room. He had never seen the girl so scared before. Even in his drowsy state, he could see that terror still lived in her eyes. So he kept silent and waited for the girl in his arms to calm down before holding her face in his hands and inspecting her. Kuki whipped away the last of her tears, her eyes now a little pink, but still upstaged by her beautiful violet eyes.

"Sure, Kooks, you can stay here."

Kuki smiled weakly and Numbah 4 moved over to the other side of the bed. His orange pajama bottoms contrasted with the blue covers. After a moments hesitation, Kuki lifted the covers and settled onto the bed. The spot was warm from where Wally was sleeping, and Kuki realized that the entire bed smelt just like him. She snuggled into the covers and tried to conceal the fact that she was inhaling Wally's scent though the pillow.

Numbah 4 yawned loudly, startling Numbah 3, who looked up through her silky black hair. Wally settled back down. Kuki eyed the scar on his front one more time before looking into his eyes, which were now unguarded by his blond hair. "G'noight, Kooks."

Kuki turned the other way, facing away from Wally as she muttered, "Night Wally."

But she did not go to sleep. Even in the comfort of Wallabee's bed, she was still a little upset. All of the emotions she'd ignored from late childhood felt like they were bubbling back up again. She had never been so afraid, so concerned more than that night. And Kuki loved all of her teammates, but Wally...

Two arms snuck around Kuki's small figure, and the girl froze as Wally pulled her against his bare chest. Her face grew aflame in color; the shock she felt was so great that she couldn't say anything at all.

Wally settled his head first on Kuki's shoulder, then rested it above her own. He enjoyed the smell of her citrus shampoo and how natural it felt to hold her against him. "Don't worry, Kooks. Everythin'll be alroight. You'll be foine."

Kuki relaxed into his embrace and sighed. Closing her eyes, she uttered a small, "Mmm hmm..." and enjoyed his closeness as she fell asleep.

* * *

The storm for sure kept Numbah 5 awake for a little, but she slept pretty well considering. The girl yawned, stretching her arms and got up to change. Before she left her room, she instinctively reached over to her dresser and snatched up her red hat. It was the same she wore since she was in the KND. It was old and faded in color with a few stitches and discolored patches on it, but it was still in one peace, which was good enough for the French girl.

Abby hummed a tune as she strolled over to Kuki's room. She and the oriental girl had plans for an all girls day out. Usually Abby didn't like outings with only one other person, but the thought of spending some quality time with her only girl friend was a nice one. She hadn't spoken to Kuki much lately other than missions. And ever since the incident at their old treehouse, Kuki had been a little quiet.

"Numbah 5 wonder's if she's ever goin' to see them two finally get together," Abby thought out loud. Relationships within TND teams weren't exactly encouraged, but it wasn't enforced as against the rules either. Abby guessed it was just as well. They couldn't really expect teammates not to grow closer to each other. In fact, Wally and Kuki weren't the only one's...

"Well speak of the devil," Abby muttered quietly as she walked towards the hallway that led to Kuki's bedroom. Numbah 2 stumbled into the circular living room, still in his long blue pajama's with the oranges on them. Abby was afraid the boy would run into the couch, but he only used it to steady himself. "Good morning Numbah 5."

"Mornin' Numbah 2. What's up with you? You look like you didn't get to sleep till real late."

"I didn't." The pilot yawned and ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. Abby took note that his favorite goggles were not upon his head at the moment. "I was working on a new 2x4 design until, like, eleven'o'clock, and then the storm go so bad that I couldn't actually _fall_ asleep until three hours later. I'm _so _tired right now. Where's Numbah 1? Please tell me there're no missions today."

"I don't know here Numbah 1 is. Wanna join Abby? She's goin' to wake up Numbah 3 so they can go out. Numbah 4 probably wants you to jump on his bed like ya did yesterday."

Hoagie laughed and walked over to the girl. "No thanks, I don't want to get impounded again. But how could I resist the chance to walk down a hallway with you, _the_ Abigail Lincoln?"

"Shuddup and come on, stupid."

The two of them walked to Kuki's room, but when Abby knocked, there was no answer. "Hey, Numbah 3? It's Numbah 5 and Numbah 2, you awake yet?"

Hoagie shrugged. "Maybe she's still asleep?"

Abby shook her head and turned the doorknob. "Nah, me knocken' and shoutin' should have woke her up - Kuki's a light sleeper."

They found Kuki's room empty, the covers unmade. Abby and Hoagie looked around, but she was indeed not in the room. Abby sighed and settled her hands on her hips. "Oh, c'mon now, Numbah 5 doesn't have all day."

"What if she got herself in trouble?"

"Abby doesn't think so. Maybe Numbah 4 knows where she went."

"Why would he know that?"

Abby just gave Hoagie the are-you-an-idiot look and continued down the hall. He rolled his eyes and hastily followed his teammate.

They opened the door to Wallabee's room and were greeted with a sight neither of them thought they would see. Both Kuki and Wally were sleeping in his bed. Wally had his arms wrapped lovingly around Kuki's waist, with his chin settled on the top of her head. Numbah 3 had her hands hiding the bottom part of her face while she slept. Her long hair entangled around both of their shoulders. Needless to say, the two operatives were shocked beyond words. Even opening the door probably would have woken Kuki up, but the girl stayed sound asleep.

"Woah..."

Abby reflexively shoved Hoagie and told him to hush up.

"I thought that was against regulations?"

The two of them flinched and turned to see Numbah 1, their leader, looking over their shoulders and staring at Kuki and Wally. "Isn't sleeping in the same bed with another teammate against several regulations?"

Hoagie, who had quieted down now, shrugged and said, "So? Not like anyone from Moonbase has to know or anything. And their _adorable._"

Abby shoved the two boys out of the doorway and gently closed the door. "'And it's about time those two got together," she said, "and you know it, Numbah 1. Or is Numbah 5 gonna have'ta make you keep your trap shut?"

Nigel Uno frowned and crossed his arms. "What do you think you could possibly do to keep me quiet - not that I'm going to tell."

Abby shugged. "I don't know. But we do still have those old pictures; Numbah 362 would sure have a laugh about those, wouldn't she Hoagie?"

Hoagie laughed and walked back to the living room with Abby, leaving Numbah 1 behind. "You mean his big butt?"

"That's the one."

Numbah 1 ran after them. "No! No, you can't do that!"

Hoagie said, "Or maybe we could send her he one with the Rainbow Monkey underwear?"

They laughed and left Numbah 1 to chase them. Though all of the commotion, though, Kuki and Wally were still fast asleep.

* * *

**Holy crap, I didn't know how to ****_end_**** this! But I think I did pretty well. It's my longest one-shot so far, which makes me extremely happy. And I really enjoyed writing it. I just hoped you guy's liked it. Please please, PLEASE Review. I ****_have_**** to know how I did.**


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